Approaches Flashcards
What is the behaviourist approach?
▪A way of explaining behaviour in terms of what is observable and in terms of learning.
What is classical conditioning?
▪Learning by association. When two stimuli are repeatedly paired together a UCS and NS. The NS eventually produces the same response first produced by the unlearned stimulus alone.
What is operant conditioning?
▪A form of learning in which behaviour is shaped and maintained by its consequences. Example, positive, negative reinforcement and punishment.
What is reinforcement?
A consequence of behaviour that increases the likelihood of behaviour being repeated.
What was Pavlov’s research?
▪How dogs could be conditioned to salivate to the sound of a bell if that sound was repeatedly present at the same time as they were given food. Showing how a NS (the bell) can be associated with food and so forming a CS. (Classical Conditioning)
What was Skinner’s research?
▪In operant conditioning there are three types I’d consequences if behaviour:
▫Positive reinforcement - receiving a reward when a certain behaviour is performed.
▫Negative reinforcement - when you avoid something unpleasant.
▫Punishment - an unpleasant consequence of behaviour.
Give three evaluations of the behaviourist approach
▪Scientific credibility - behaviourism was able to bring the language and methods of the natural sciences into psychology by focusing on observable behaviour.
▪Real life applications - Example, in prisons a token economy system is placed meaning prisoners can trade these tokens for a privilege once being rewarded for particular behaviour.
▪Environmental determinism - the behaviourist approach sees all behaviour as determined by past experiences that have been conditioned. Skinner said that everything we do is due to force to history. Ignoring all possibilities of free will on behaviour.
What is social learning theory?
▪A way of explaining behaviour that includes both direct and indirect reinforcement, combining learning theory with the role of cognitive factors.
What is Vicarious reinforcement?
▪Reinforcement which is non directly experienced but occurs through observing someone else being reinforced for a behaviour.
What are mediational processes?
▪Cognitive factors that influence learning and come between stimulus and response.
What is modelling?
▪Imitating the behaviour of a role model.
What is identification?
▪When an observer associates themselves with a role model and wants to be like that role model.
The roles of mediational processes?
▪SLT is often described as the ‘bridge’ between traditional learning theory and the cognitive approach because it focuses on how cognitive factors are involved in learning. 4 mediational processes were identified by Bandura:
▫Attention - the extent to which we notice behaviour.
▫Retention - how well the behaviour is remembered.
▫Motor reproduction - the ability of the observer to perform the behaviour.
▫Motivation - the will to perform the behaviour, often determined by if there is a reward or punishment.
Give two evaluations of social learning theory
▪Over-reliance on evidence from lab studies - Many of Bandura’s ideas we’re developed through observation of young children’s behaviour in lab settings, which are criticised as participants may have demand characterised. In relation to the bobo doll research that, because the main purpose of the doll is to strike it, the children were simply behaving in a way that they thought was expected. Thus research may tell us little about how children actually learn aggression in everyday life.
▪Underestimates the influence of biological factors - Bandura makes little reference to biological factors. One consistent finding was boys were more aggressive than girls. This may be explained due to boys having a higher level of testosterone (hormone) which links to aggression. This influence isn’t accounted for in SLT.
What is the cognitive approach?
▪How our mental processes (thoughts, perceptions) affect behaviour.
